R. Velotta

Characterization of laser-ablation plasmas

We discuss the generation of high-density and high-temperature plasmas by focusing high peak power laser radiation onto a solid target. Emphasis will be put on the process of laser ablation and on its basic, physical mechanisms. A survey will be given of the main experimental techniques, namely optical emission and absorption spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, time-of-flight and charge collection measurements, devised to characterize laser-produced plasmas. The fundamental theoretical and numerical approaches developed to analyse laser-target interaction, plasma formation, as well as its expansion will also be reviewed, and their predictions compared with the experimental findings. Although the main emphasis of the review will be on metal target ablation, reference and comparison to results on multicomponent targets will also be frequently given.

Generation of silicon nanoparticles via femtosecond laser ablation in vacuum

We demonstrate that femtosecond laser ablation of silicon targets in vacuum is a viable route to the generation and deposition of nanoparticles with radii of ≈5–10 nm. The nanoparticles dynamics during expansion has been analyzed through their structureless continuum optical emission, while atoms and ions, also present in the plume, have been identified by their characteristic emission lines. Atomic force microscopy analysis of the material deposited at room temperature has allowed the characterization of the nanoparticles size distribution. Taking into account the emissivity of small particles we show that the continuum emission is a blackbody-like radiation from the nanoparticles. Our results suggest that nanoclusters are generated as a result of relaxation processes of the extreme material state reached by the irradiated target surface, in agreement with recently published theoretical studies.

Diagnostics of YBa2Cu3O7−δ laser plume by time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

The time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry has been used to investigate the formation of charged species in the laser ablation of YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) target. Mass spectra were taken both in high vacuum and in oxygen environment for two values of the laser energy density (0.74 and 2.5 J cm−2). The analysis of the charged species in the plume has been carried out as a function of the distance between the target and the spectrometer axis and the relative abundance of Cu, Y, Ba, CuO, YO, and BaO ions has been measured and discussed. In this paper the formation of heavy species and YBCO clusters is also discussed. The plume range has been evaluated as a function of the absorbed energy at a distance from the target plane close to that one at which good quality high Tc superconducting films are obtained, the plume composition has been found to be characterized by the presence of a series of oxide clusters originating from the interaction between the ablated material and the environmental oxygen. This confirms that the ...

Thermal and nonthermal ion emission during high-fluence femtosecond laser ablation of metallic targets

We have investigated the emission of positive ions from metallic targets irradiated with intense, ultrashort laser pulses (≈120 fs) at 780 nm, in both S and P polarized states. The measured energy spectra show the presence of a nonthermal, high-energy (several keV) ion component accompanying low-energy ions (tens of eV) produced by a thermal mechanism. The yield of the high-energy component shows a strong dependence on both laser fluence and light polarization. For the low-energy component a higher ablation efficiency was observed for P polarization, and ascribed to a more effective absorption mechanism active during the laser–target interaction.

Analysis of the receiver response in lidar measurements

We report on the calculation of the effective telescope area in lidar applications by a ray-tracing approach. This method allows one to consider the true experimental working conditions and hence to obtain accurate values of the effective telescope area as a function of the height. This in turn allows the retrieval of the signal from the ranges where the overlap function is not constant (e.g., lower ranges), thus increasing the useful range interval. Moreover, we show that the spherical mirrors are more appropriate than the parabolic ones for most of the lidar measurements, although a particular alignment procedure, such as the one we describe, must be used.

Emission of prompt electrons during excimer laser ablation of aluminum targets

We report on prompt emission of fast electrons occurring during xenon–fluoride (351 nm) laser ablation of aluminum targets in the nanosecond regime. We have measured both the kinetic energy distribution and the energy-integrated time-of-flight distribution of these electrons. Experimental data evidence that the energetic electrons are produced during the laser pulse as a consequence of two-photon processes, and that space-charge effects influence the photoemitted electron kinetic energy, leading to prompt electrons kinetic energy distributions extending up to ≈15 eV.

High harmonic generation spectroscopy of hydrocarbons

We have demonstrated the ability of few-cycle midinfrared intense laser pulses to produce extended harmonic spectra (≥45 eV) suitable for high harmonic spectroscopy in aligned hydrocarbons with ionization potentials in the range 9.07–11.52 eV. Modulations in the spectra measured with different alignment angles show signatures of the molecular structure. These results pave the way for the extension of high harmonic spectroscopy to complex biomolecules.

Detection of Parathion Pesticide by Quartz Crystal Microbalance Functionalized with UV-Activated Antibodies

Photonic immobilization technique (PIT) has been used to develop an immunosensor for the detection of parathion. An antibody solution has been activated by breaking the disulfide bridge in the triad Trp/Cys-Cys through absorption of ultrashort UV laser pulses. The free thiol groups so produced interact with gold lamina making the antibody oriented upside, that is, with its variable parts exposed to the environment, thereby greatly increasing the detection efficiency. PIT has been applied to anchor polyclonal antiparathion antibodies to the gold electrode of a Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) giving rise to very high detection sensitivity once the parathion is made heavier by complexion with BSA (bovine serum albumin), this latter step only required by the mass based transducer used in this case. The comparison of the sensor response with irradiated antibodies against different analytes shows that the high degree of antibody specificity is not affected by PIT nor is it by the complexion of parathion with BSA. These results pave the way to important applications in biosensing, since the widespread occurrence of the Trp/Cys-Cys residues triads in proteins make our procedure very general and effective to detect light analytes.

Extension of high harmonic spectroscopy in molecules by a 1300 nm laser field

The emerging techniques of molecular spectroscopy by high order harmonic generation have hitherto been conducted only with Ti:Sapphire lasers which are restricted to molecules with high ionization potentials. In order to gain information on the molecular structure, a broad enough range of harmonics is required. This implies using high laser intensities which would saturate the ionization of most molecular systems of interest, e.g. organic molecules. Using a laser at 1300 nm, we are able to extend the technique to molecules with relatively low ionization potentials (approximately 11 eV), observing wide harmonic spectra reaching up to 60 eV. This energy range improves spatial resolution of the high harmonic spectroscopy to the point where interference minima in harmonic spectra of N(2)O and C(2)H(2) can be observed.

Light assisted antibody immobilization for bio-sensing

Ultrashort UV pulses at 258 nm with repetition rate of 10 kHz have been used to irradiate buffer solution of antibody. The tryptophan residues strongly absorb this radiation thus becoming capable to disrupt the disulfide bridges located next to them. Due to their high reactivity the opened bridges can anchor a gold plate more efficiently than other sites of the macromolecule giving rise to preferential orientations of the variable part of the antibody. UV irradiation has been applied to anchor antiIgG antibody to the electrode of a Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) that lends itself as a sensor, the antibody acting as the bio-receptor. An increase of the QCM sensitivity and of the linear range has been measured when the antibody is irradiated with UV laser pulses. The photo-induced reactions leading to disulfide bridge breakage have been analyzed by means of a chemical assay that confirms our explanation. The control of disulfide bridges by UV light paves the way to important applications for sensing purpose since cysteine in combination with tryptophan can act as a hook to link refractory bio-receptors to surfaces.